Friday, September 11, 2009

This is the cover recipe from the September 2009 issue of Bon Appétit. I didn't realize until I started making it, that it was very similar to the Tuscan Lemon Chicken, from Barefoot Contessa I made a few months back.It's a bit different, so I tried it anyway. I love that this recipe is roasted in the oven, versus the grill. It makes the house smell amazing & with the chilly weather, I love making it indoors."al Mattone", means "with a brick", and is traditionally cooked outdoors on a grill. I actually like this method even more.Once again, you begin with a whole 4 pound chicken. The chicken must have the backbone removed & be flattened, or butterflied. It's much easier to have your butcher do this for you. However, doing it at home is easy too & is just a matter of trying it. It's also cheaper...this dish cost less than $4 & feeds 4 people.Begin by juicing one half of a lemon & placing the juice in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil,2 minced cloves of garlic & 1 tablespoon of minced fresh rosemary leaves.Stir the mixture.Place your chicken in a rimmed baking dish, rub the marinade over it & cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the chicken overnight.When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Unwrap the chicken & season generously with kosher salt & freshly ground pepper.Heat a large skillet over medium high heat & add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the chicken skin side down for about 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the heat, place a foil wrapped brick on top of the chicken, crosswise & roast for 30 minutes in the oven.Remove from the oven, flip the chicken, place the brick back on & roast an additional 15 minutes.Place onto a serving platter, garnish with some chopped fresh Italian parsley & serve.

Open the chicken flat & place skin side up on a rimmed baking dish. Mix the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, rosemary & garlic in a small bowl. Rub the mixture over the chicken, cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate overnight.Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Season the chicken generously with salt & pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium high heat & cook the chicken skin side down, until golden brown (7 minutes).Place the brick onto the chicken, crosswise & roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Flip the chicken & place the brick back on. Roast for an additional 15 minutes.Remove the chicken to a serving platter & garnish with some minced fresh parsley & serve.Click here for the printable recipe.

This is my new 'go-to' way to cook chicken. It is easy and so so good. You can butterfly the chicken yourself...it's not that hard...and it's cool when you take the breastbone out and it flattens out like a book. So moist, so flavorul...and it also makes incredible pan juices, not sure why, better than standard roasting...not as greasy..I take a cast iron skillet and put it on top...no need for the brick and the foil...

Dave-I agree! This method is better than traditional roasting on many levels! I butterfly my own chicken as well. It's so easy, but I think some can be intimidated by the idea. It's one of those things where once you try it you think...why wasn't I doing this all along?I have the brick handy in my kitchen & I like that there's less dishes to clean :). But, a skillet is perfect too!